TSA Pay Restored
After weeks of financial hardship caused by the long-running stalemate in the talks over Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding, Transportation Security Agency (TSA) employees will finally be able to collect their paychecks, which will provide them with some welcome relief from the tens of thousands of employees.
US President Donald Trump has decided to make the payments to the employees out of the existing funds, thus bypassing Congress in the midst of the ongoing political stalemate. This follows after nearly 50,000 TSA employees were unable to collect their salaries during what has become the longest government shutdown in US history.
“This is long overdue. People have been struggling to pay rent and feed their families,” said one TSA officer.
ICE Agents May Stay at Airports
However, it is important to note that even after the pay resumes for the TSA employees, the agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could still be at the airport, according to the White House border czar, Tom Homan.
Apparently, the period before the ICE agents are removed will be determined by the rate at which TSA employees are able to return to work.
“We’ll see,” Homan said when asked whether ICE agents will be removed from airports after TSA employees start receiving their pay. “It depends how many TSA agents come back to work and how many have quit.”
The agents from ICE were deployed to the airport to help in managing the lines resulting from the shutdown of the government.
Staffing Shortages Persist
The shutdown has also impacted the number of employees working for the TSA. There have been claims that hundreds of employees have resigned, and more have not shown up to work because they have not been receiving their paychecks.
At the peak of the shutdown, more employees were absent, leading to long lines at various airports.
“Even with pay restored, not everyone is coming back,” said an analyst who works in the field.
It is believed that some time will be required to build up the staff.
ICE’s Role at Airports
The ICE agents were only helping in some limited functions such as identification, monitoring of the exit lanes, and general security presence. However, they are not capable of performing any of the specific functions of screening that the TSA is trained for, such as the use of X-ray machines.
The use of ICE agents has been controversial, raising the issues of the use of these agents in airport security. “ICE agents are not a substitute for trained TSA personnel,” a union representative said. “This is a temporary fix, not a long-term solution.”
The administration feels that the use of ICE agents has helped in alleviating the traffic jams while maintaining security at a time when things were difficult.
Political Standoff Continues
The problem, however, is in the funding dispute involving DHS. Members of Congress have yet to come up with a comprehensive budget agreement due to disagreements over immigration policies and allocations for some departments such as ICE.
The bipartisan agreement in the Senate failed to pass in the House, hence the shutdown. Emergency measures have to be undertaken by the government. “This is a political issue with real-world consequences,” said a policy expert. Both parties have been blaming each other for the shutdown, and talks are ongoing.
Impact on Travelers
Courtesy Of U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ( Flickr CC0)For travelers, this is a frustrating situation. Long lines of security checks and delays have disrupted travelers’ plans all over the nation.
Despite the improvement in the situation as TSA employees are finally being paid, some delays are being witnessed at airports.
“It’s better than it was last week, but it’s not back to normal. There’s still a lot of confusion,” a frequent traveler said.
Travelers are advised to arrive early and be patient as the situation is being stabilized.
Legal and Financial Questions
The choice of Trump in paying the TSA workers through current funds has raised legal issues regarding the power of circumventing Congress on such issues of funding. Critics of the choice have expressed that such actions have the potential of creating a precedent for overreaching by the executive branch.
Others have expressed that the choice of Trump has been made in order to avoid disruptions. “This is uncharted territory,” said a constitutional law expert. “There are real questions about how this will hold up.”
Broader Implications for DHS
This is also a reflection of some of the problems being faced by the DHS, which is considered to be one of the largest government agencies. The agency is responsible for a wide array of activities ranging from airport security to natural disaster response.
The repeated use of such temporary solutions is a cause of concern.
“You can’t run a department like this indefinitely,” the former DHS official said. “At some point, you need a sustainable funding solution.”
The presence of ICE in the airports is also a reflection of the changing priorities and resource allocation.
What Happens Next
The next phase will also largely depend on the rate of return of TSA staff and the agreement of Congress on funding.
If TSA staff return in greater numbers, the presence of ICE may not be required. However, if the problem of a lack of staff continues, ICE may have to be present for a longer period of time.
“We’re going to continue an ICE presence until airports are fully secure,” Homan said.
There is growing pressure on Congress to settle the funding dispute.
A System Under Strain
These two issues serve to illustrate the strain on our critical infrastructure as politics and operations intersect.
“This is what happens when funding breaks down,” said the policy expert. “You start seeing ripple effects everywhere.”
Of course, the resolution to the pay crisis is welcome news. But the larger crisis remains unresolved.
As one TSA employee said, “Getting paid helps, but we’re still waiting for real stability.”
Until then, the airports and the agencies charged with running them will continue to operate in the midst of uncertainty.
By William Hernandez
Journalist for Vlixx Magazine, reporting on news from around the world, ensuring timely, accurate, and detailed information to keep the public informed and educated.
Sources:
NPR : U.S. Senator Alex Padilla slams proposed voter ID rules in SAVE Act | California Politics 360
Featured and Inset Image Courtesy of Erin Nekervis Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Flickr Page- Creative Commons License
